High-immunity, self-protected and bidirectional isolated controller without any complex component

ABSTRACT

A power stage includes a control device and a power transistor, the control device comprising a primary circuit comprising: a control module able to generate a control current, a primary circuit malfunction detector able to detect a malfunction, a pulse transformer comprising a primary winding connected to the primary circuit, comprising a secondary winding connected to the secondary circuit, magnetically coupled to the primary winding and able to generate, from the control current, an induced pulse current making it possible to drive the power transistor, a secondary circuit comprising: a power and fault detection controller able to detect a malfunction of the secondary circuit or of the power transistor, the power and fault detection controller being able to communicate the malfunction of the secondary circuit or of the power transistor to the primary circuit malfunction detector.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to foreign French patent applicationNo. FR 2107579, filed on Jul. 13, 2021, the disclosure of which isincorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is that of power electronics modulecontrollers for driving the operation of power electronics components.As is known, power modules represent electronic components that handlehigh powers and therefore require particular attention in terms of theirdesign and their monitoring over the course of their service life anduse.

BACKGROUND

A power module controller is thus generally used so as to be able toexert an influence on the power module in the event of malfunctioning orfailure of the module, unusual operation or even so as to make itpossible to target precise operation of the power module. However, it isnowadays necessary to be able to isolate this controller from the powermodule so as to be able to protect the controller from any malfunctionof the power module.

More specifically, some fields, such as aeronautics, stipulate standardsto be complied with for electronic components. Thus, by way ofindication, standard D0-254 stipulates the safety conditions applicableto critical electronic components of the avionics in commercial aviationand general aviation. This standard stipulates notably developmentconstraints linked to obtaining certification for an avionics electroniccomponent. There is thus nowadays the requirement, for any power moduleused in aeronautics, to be controlled by way of a control means isolatedfrom the module.

Usually, the control function isolated from the power module isimplemented in line with the following principles:

A controller isolated by an optocoupler. An optocoupler, or also calledphotocoupler, is an electronic component capable of transmitting asignal from one electrical circuit to another, without there being anygalvanic contact between them. The optocoupler thus has the advantage ofallowing isolation between the controller and the power module so as toprotect the controller. However, the use of a controller based on theoptocoupler is at present a component deemed to be unreliable and isbarred in some fields of use, such as the field of aeronautics forexample. Specifically, a controller based on the use of the optocouplermight not transmit the whole of an optical signal, for example, andexhibit losses that lead to the loss of sometimes essential information.In addition, the use of this type of technology leads to the use ofelectronic components with a relatively low service life forrequirements in the field of civil aeronautics, which may exceed 250,000usage hours for any electronic component.

A controller isolated by a pulse transformer with a magnetic circuit.The pulse transformer has the advantage, over the optocoupler, of beingable to operate at a high frequency, of being very simple to install andof having the ability to supply a high current. However, a pulsetransformer with a magnetic circuit only allows operation in AC mode andonly for short commands. An isolated controller using a pulsetransformer with a magnetic circuit thus does not allow the transmissionof DC commands.

A controller isolated by a transformer without a magnetic circuit.However, in the same way as for pulse transformers with a magneticcircuit, it is possible to work only with short pulses.

A controller isolated by a piezoelectric transformer. Specifically, thedeformation of a certain type of material makes it possible to generatea voltage. It is therefore conceivable to deform the material in adefined manner so as to generate the correct voltage in order toinfluence the power module. However, the power that is supplied remainsrelatively low in comparison with the other transformers for a structurerequiring the use of complex and costly components.

Finally, a controller based on capacitive isolation nowadays has highlybeneficial isolation capabilities. However, this type of technologycomprises complex components and therefore requires a relatively highdegree of certification in comparison with components for the othertypes of controller.

Furthermore, the majority of isolation technologies presented aboveoperate unidirectionally. Specifically, the controller for the powermodule makes it possible to control the module by giving instructions inthe direction of the module. Thus, in order to obtain bidirectionalityof the communication between a power module and its controller, itbecomes necessary to add components to the controller, thus increasingthe overall cost thereof and impacting the compactness of thecontroller.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to overcome all or some of the abovementionedproblems by proposing a simple power module controller, isolated fromthe controlled module and allowing bidirectional operation, that is tosay by controlling the module and by receiving information linked to theoperation of the power module.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a power stage comprising acontrol device and a power transistor connected to the control device inorder to be driven by the control device, the control device comprising:

A primary circuit and a secondary circuit, the primary circuitcomprising:

A control module able to generate a control current i_(t),

a primary circuit malfunction detector able to detect a malfunction ofthe primary circuit,

A pulse transformer comprising a primary winding connected to theprimary circuit, the pulse transformer comprising a secondary windingconnected to the secondary circuit, magnetically coupled to the primarywinding and able to generate, from the control current i_(t), an inducedpulse current i_(m) in the direction of the secondary circuit, theinduced pulse current i_(m) making it possible to drive the powertransistor,

the secondary circuit comprising:

A power and fault detection controller, connected to the secondarywinding of the pulse transformer and to the power transistor, able todetect a malfunction of the secondary circuit and/or of the powertransistor,

the power and fault detection controller being able to communicate themalfunction of the secondary circuit and/or of the power transistor tothe primary circuit malfunction detector.

According to one aspect of the invention, the power and fault detectioncontroller communicates the malfunction of the secondary circuit and/orof the power transistor to the primary circuit malfunction detector onlyby way of the pulse transformer.

According to one aspect of the invention, the full bridge is configuredto synchronously generate the control current i_(t) on the basis of theexternal control signal and/or the predefined pulsed wave.

According to one aspect of the invention, the control module comprisesan oscillator able to generate a predefined pulsed wave on the basis ofa control signal originating from outside the power stage and a fullbridge, connected to the oscillator, able to generate the controlcurrent i_(t) on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave in thedirection of the primary winding of the pulse transformer.

According to one aspect of the invention, the secondary windingcomprises two electrical terminals, the power and fault detectioncontroller comprising an impedance connected to the two electricalterminals of the secondary winding of the pulse transformer, theimpedance comprising an electrical resistance of less than 1000 ohms.

According to one aspect of the invention, the primary circuitmalfunction detector comprises a short-circuit detector, theshort-circuit detector being able to detect an overcurrent in theprimary circuit.

According to one aspect of the invention, the short-circuit detector isable to detect an opening fault in the primary circuit and/or ashort-circuit fault in the primary circuit.

According to one aspect of the invention, the power and fault detectioncontroller comprises a pulse detector able to detect a pulse fault inthe induced pulse current i_(m).

According to one aspect of the invention, the pulse detector isconfigured to rectify the induced pulse current i_(m).

According to one aspect of the invention, the power and fault detectioncontroller comprises a power transistor operation detector, able todetect at least one parameter of the power transistor causingnon-nominal operation of the power transistor.

According to one aspect of the invention, the power and fault detectioncontroller comprises a stop element able to short-circuit the pulsetransformer on the basis of a fault detection.

According to one aspect of the invention, the power stage comprises apower transistor driver able to generate a command for the powertransistor based on the induced pulse current i_(m).

According to one aspect of the invention, the primary circuitmalfunction detector comprises a recorder able to record the malfunctionof the primary circuit and/or the malfunction of the secondary circuitand/or of the power transistor.

According to one aspect of the invention, the current driver comprises acommand deactivator, configured to cancel the command for the powertransistor when a primary circuit malfunction and/or secondary circuitmalfunction and/or power transistor malfunction is detected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and other advantages will becomeapparent on reading the detailed description of one embodiment that isgiven by way of example, which description is illustrated by theappended drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a control device for the isolated and bidirectional controlof a power stage, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a full-bridge architecture according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram showing the combination of the control signaland of the pulsed wave and of the consequence on the full bridgeaccording to the invention.

For the sake of clarity, the same elements will bear the same referencesthroughout the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a power stage 2 comprising a control device 1 and a powertransistor 3 connected to the control device 1 in order to be driven bythe control device 1.

The control device 1 comprises a primary circuit 10 and a secondarycircuit 20. The primary circuit 10 comprises:

a control module 12 able to generate a control current i_(t),

a primary circuit malfunction detector 17 able to detect a malfunctionof the primary circuit 10, that is to say non-nominal operation of theprimary circuit 10.

The control device 1 also comprises a pulse transformer 30 comprising aprimary winding 32 connected to the primary circuit 10 and a secondarywinding 34 connected to the secondary circuit 20, magnetically coupledto the primary winding 32 and able to generate, from the control currenti_(t), an induced pulse current i_(m) in the direction of the secondarycircuit 20. The induced pulse current i_(m) makes it possible to drivethe power transistor 3. Specifically, the primary winding 32, flowedthrough by the control current i_(t), makes it possible to create anelectromagnetic field between the first winding 32 and the secondwinding 34 and magnetic induction at the second winding 34 so as togenerate the induced pulse current i_(m), which is a current comprisingpulses representative of the pulses able to be observed in the controlcurrent i_(t).

The secondary circuit 20, which is connected to the power transistor 3,comprises a power and fault detection controller 21 connected to thesecondary winding 34 of the pulse transformer 30, on the one hand, andto the power transistor 3, on the other hand, able to detect amalfunction of the secondary circuit 20 and/or of the power transistor3, that is to say non-nominal operation of the secondary circuit 20and/or non-nominal operation of the power transistor 3.

The power and fault detection controller 21 is able to communicate themalfunction of the secondary circuit 20 to the primary circuitmalfunction detector 17. In the same way, the power and fault detectioncontroller 21 is able to communicate the malfunction of the powertransistor 3 to the primary circuit malfunction detector 17.

The communication between the power and fault detection controller 21and the primary circuit malfunction detector 17 has the advantage ofallowing bidirectional operation of the controller between the controldevice 1 and the power transistor 3 of the power stage 2. Specifically,the communication may then take place by way of the control link betweenthe control device 1 and the power transistor 3 such that the controldevice 1 exerts an influence on the power transistor 3. And,advantageously, this communication may also make it possible, by way ofthe communication between the power and fault detection controller 21and the primary circuit malfunction detector 17, to inform the controldevice 1 about any operating state of the power transistor 3, or evenallow the control device 1 to obtain a feedback of operating informationfrom the control device 1 itself. More specifically, the communicationbetween the power and fault detection controller 21 and the primarycircuit malfunction detector 17 takes place by way of the pulsetransformer 30, which has the advantage of limiting the number ofcomponents needed for this communication between primary circuit 10 andsecondary circuit 20.

Advantageously, the control module 12 comprises:

an oscillator 14 able to generate a predefined pulsed wave Pulse on thebasis of a control signal Sc originating from outside the power stage 2.More specifically, the oscillator 14 is able to generate a pulsed wavePulse repeatedly at a frequency greater than 100 kilohertz. In addition,preferably, the pulsed wave Pulse may be repeated at a frequency ofaround 500 kilohertz, that is to say with a period of 2 μs. Thus, whenthe control module 12 receives an external activation control signalSc_(on) outside the power stage 2, the oscillator 14, in accordance withthe external activation control signal Sc_(on), generates a pulsedactivation wave Pulse1. By contrast, when the control module 12 receivesan external stop control signal Sc_(off) outside the power stage 2, theoscillator 14, in accordance with this stop control signal Sc_(off),generates a pulsed stop wave Pulse2. By way of indicative example, thepulsed activation wave Pulse1 may be a square-wave pulse, for which atransmission time of the high pulse lasts 200 nanoseconds and for whicha transmission time of the low pulse lasts 1.8 microseconds. Similarly,the pulsed stop wave Pulse2 may be a square-wave pulse, for which thetransmission time of the high pulse lasts 1.8 microseconds and for whichthe transmission time of the low pulse lasts 200 nanoseconds. However,by way of indication, the transmission time of the high pulse and of thelow pulse of the pulsed wave Pulse may be between 20 microseconds and 10nanoseconds. In addition, when the external control signal Sc ismodified, by changing from an external activation control signal Sc_(on)to an external stop control signal Sc_(off) for example or else bychanging from an external stop control signal Sc_(off) to an externalactivation control signal Sc_(on), the oscillator 14 is reset so as togenerate the pulsed wave Pulse in accordance with the modification ofthe external control signal Sc.

a full bridge 16, connected to the oscillator 14, able to generate thecontrol current i_(t) on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave Pulsein the direction of the pulse transformer 30. The full bridge 16conventionally comprises, as shown in FIG. 2 , a first transistor T1 anda third transistor T3 that are connected, by way of the primary winding32, to a second transistor T2 and to a fourth transistor T4. The firsttransistor T1 along with the third transistor T3 thus form a firsthalf-bridge that is placed in parallel with a second half-bridgerepresented by the second transistor T2 and by the fourth transistor T4.Thus, when the oscillator 14 transmits a pulsed activation wave Pulse1,as shown in FIG. 3 , the full bridge 16 generates an activation controlcurrent i_(ton) at the terminals of the primary winding 32 in thedirection of the transformer 30. And, similarly, when the oscillator 14transmits a pulsed stop wave Pulse2, the full bridge 16 generates a stopcontrol current i_(toff) at the terminals of the primary winding 32 inthe direction of the transformer 30. The control current i_(t), thuscomprises representative pulses so as to be an electrical image of theexternal control signal Sc through the knowledge of the pulsed wavePulse.

It should be noted that the activation control current i_(ton) flowingthrough the primary winding 32 may be a current with repeated positivepulses and that the stop control current i_(toff) flowing through theprimary winding 32 may be a current with repeated negative pulses, asshown in FIG. 3 , or vice versa. The generation of the activationcontrol current i_(ton) and/or of the stop control current i_(toff) iscyclic and is advantageously synchronous with respect to the externalcontrol signal Sc and to the pulsed wave Pulse. In other words, upon achange from a stop control current i_(toff) to an activation controlcurrent i_(ton), or vice versa, the cyclic generation of the newcurrent, specifically the activation control current i_(ton), isregenerated, by way of resetting the oscillator 14, so as not to haveany delay between the new command caused by the new control current andthe implementation of the power transistor 3 in response to this newcommand, specifically the activation thereof.

By way of indicative example, the delay between the new command causedby the new control current and the implementation of the powertransistor 3 in response to this new command is less than one hundrednanoseconds.

The full bridge 16 is therefore configured to synchronously generate thecontrol current i_(t) on the basis of the external control signal Scand/or of the predefined pulsed wave Pulse in the direction of the pulsetransformer 30. In other words, the full bridge 16 is able tosynchronously generate a train of positive pulses or activation controlcurrent i_(ton) upon receipt of an external activation control signalSc_(on) and/or of a pulsed activation wave Pulse1 and a train ofnegative pulses or stop control current i_(toff) upon receipt of anexternal stop control signal Sc_(off) and/or of a pulsed stop wavePulse2.

This configuration of placing the oscillator 14 and the full bridge 16in series has the advantage of making it possible to transform a DCcommand into an AC signal able to be transmitted by the transformer 30.For example, the power transistor 3 may be a power switch. The commandSc is a binary signal in which the high level corresponds to the closingof the switch and the low level corresponds to the opening of theswitch. The presence of the oscillator 14 and of the full bridge 16transforms the high level of the external control signal Sc, reflectingan activation command for example, into a train of positive pulsesi_(ton). By contrast, the low level of the external control signal Sc,reflecting for example a stop command, is transformed into a train ofnegative pulses i_(toff).

The power and fault detection controller 21 comprises an impedance Rconnected between the electrical terminals of the secondary winding 34of the pulse transformer 30. The impedance R comprises an electricalresistance of less than 200 ohms. The impedance comprises an electricalresistance of less than one kiloohm and greater than fifty ohms. Thisclosed-loop configuration between the secondary winding 34 and theimpedance R has the advantage of limiting the magnetic susceptibility ofthe control device 1 and of immunizing it against any electromagneticinterference outside the power stage 2 by ensuring a flow of a highelectric current in this closed loop. In other words, the link betweenthe transformer 30 and the impedance R forms a low-impedance line. As apreferred example, the impedance R comprises an electrical resistance of200 ohms.

As explained above, the primary circuit malfunction detector 17 is ableto detect a malfunction in the primary circuit 10, that is to say anydefect causing non-nominal operation in the primary circuit 10, andparticularly in the full bridge 16. More specifically, the primarycircuit malfunction detector 17 comprises a short-circuit detector 18,able to detect an overcurrent flowing in the primary circuit 10. Forexample, the short-circuit detector 18 is able to detect an openingfault in the primary circuit 10, that is to say opening of theelectrical circuit of the primary circuit 10 or opening of the controlline delivering the control signal Sc and/or a short-circuit fault inthe primary circuit 10 and/or in the full bridge 16, that is to say ashort circuit in the primary circuit or a short circuit in the fullbridge 16.

Detecting an opening fault or a short-circuit fault thus makes itpossible to increase the accuracy of the detection and to preciselyascertain the origin of the malfunction in the primary circuit 10.

Specifically, an opening fault or a short-circuit fault in the primarycircuit 10 causes a significant increase in the control current i_(t)and therefore an overcurrent in the primary circuit malfunction detector17 and the short-circuit detector 18. By way of example, as soon as theshort-circuit detector 18 detects a current greater than 100milliamperes, the short-circuit detector 18 indicates the presence of anovercurrent and allows the primary circuit malfunction detector 17 toprovide an alert with regard to the presence of a malfunction of theprimary circuit 10 and an overall operating fault of the control device1 of the power stage 2.

The primary circuit malfunction detector 17 may also comprise a recorder19 able to record the malfunction of the primary circuit 10. Therecorder 19 is connected to the short-circuit detector 18 so as torecord the opening fault and/or the short-circuit fault in order toprecisely record the cause that caused the malfunction of the primarycircuit 10. The recorder 19 is also able to record the malfunction ofthe secondary circuit 20 and/or of the power transistor 3.

The recorder 19 thus makes it possible to record all previousmalfunctions and blocking of the transmission of a command in order toavoid other potential malfunctions.

Advantageously, the power and fault detection controller 21 comprises:

A pulse detector 22 able to detect a pulse fault in the induced pulsecurrent i_(m). More specifically, the pulse detector 22 is able todetect the absence of a pulse in the induced pulse current i_(m),reflecting the absence of a command transcribed by the transformer 30,or else by the full bridge 16 upstream of the power and fault detectioncontroller 21. Thus, when the pulse detector 22 detects the absence of apulse in the induced pulse current i_(m), the power and fault detectioncontroller 21 may provide information about the presence of an overallmalfunction of the control device 1 of the power stage 2. Similarly, thepulse detector 22 is able to detect an irregularity in the pulses of theinduced pulse current i_(m), that is to say irregular pulse frequenciesfor example. A pulse fault may thus be interpreted as the absence ofdetected pulses or detection of irregular pulses in the induced pulsecurrent i_(m). The pulse detector 22 has the advantage of allowingprecise targeting of the malfunction of the secondary circuit 20,specifically for example a fault in the transmission of information bythe pulse transformer 30 for example. Furthermore, the pulse detector 22is able to rectify the induced pulse current which is an AC current,following the induction thereof in the secondary winding 34 of the pulsetransformer 30. This rectification has the advantage of converting theinduced pulse current i_(m) from an AC current to a DC current, thenfacilitating the detection of the pulses in the induced pulse currenti_(m).

A power transistor 3 operation detector 24, able to detect an operatingfault of the power transistor 3. More specifically, the operationdetector 24 is connected directly to the power transistor 3 so as to beable to detect at least one parameter of the power transistor 3 causingnon-nominal operation of the power transistor 3, such as for exampleabnormal saturation of the power transistor 3. The operation detector 24has the advantage of allowing precise targeting of the malfunction ofthe power transistor 3.

In addition, the power and fault detection controller 21 comprises astop element 26 connected to the pulse detector 22 and to the powertransistor 3 operation detector 24, able to short-circuit the secondarywinding 34 of the transformer 30 on the basis of an anomaly detected bythe power and fault detection controller 21. More specifically, in theevent of a pulse fault in the induced pulse current i_(m) detected bythe pulse detector 22 and/or in the event of an operating fault of thepower transistor 3 detected by the operation detector 24, the stopelement 26 may short-circuit the secondary winding 34 of the pulsetransformer 30. By way of example, the stop element 26 may be a switchconnected in parallel with the secondary winding 34 and driven by thepower and fault detection controller 21.

Now, when a short circuit occurs in the secondary circuit 20, anovercurrent then forms in the primary circuit 10. And, as explainedabove, this overcurrent is detected directly by the short-circuitdetector 18 and the primary circuit malfunction detector 17, making itpossible to provide an alert about an operating fault of the controldevice 1. The power and fault detection controller 21 is thereby able tocommunicate the malfunction of the secondary circuit 20 to the primarycircuit malfunction detector 17 and also makes it possible to record themalfunction of the secondary circuit 20 and/or of the power transistor 3detected by the power and fault detection controller 21 along with thecause of this malfunction by way of the recorder 19. The recorder 19 isthus able to record the malfunction of the primary circuit 10 and themalfunction of the secondary circuit 20.

An alert from the short-circuit detector 18 coupled with an alert fromthe operation detector 24 thus makes it possible, by way of indicativeexample, to highlight abnormal operation of the power transistor 3. Analert from the short-circuit detector 18 coupled with an alert linked toa pulse fault in the induced pulse current i_(m) by the pulse detector22 makes it possible, by way of indicative example, to highlightabnormal operation of the control device 1. And, an alert from theshort-circuit detector 18 makes it possible, by way of indication, tohighlight an electrical fault in the primary circuit 10 and particularlythe full bridge 16.

The power and fault detection controller 21 is connected to a driver 28for the power transistor 3 able to generate a command for the powertransistor 3 based on the induced pulse current i_(m). Morespecifically, the driver 28 is electrically connected to the electricalterminals of the secondary winding 34, and the driver 28 is alsoconnected to the pulse detector 22 so as to generate a control link fromthe driver 28 via the pulse detector 22 and to the power transistor 3.The driver 28 is thus able to extract pulses from the induced pulsecurrent i_(m) and to generate a command for the power transistor 3. Thecommunication between the driver 28 and the power transistor 3 isarbitrary and may, by way of non-exhaustive example, be electrical oroptical. Preferably, the communication between the driver 28 and thepower transistor 3 is electrical, as is the communication between thepower transistor 3 and the operation detector 24. However, in the caseof an electrical potential difference between the driver 28 and thepower transistor 3, it is necessary to isolate the two components. Thecommunication between the driver 28 and the power transistor maytherefore be optical, as may the communication between the powertransistor 3 and the operation detector 24.

The driver 28 of the power stage makes it possible to reconstruct,in-phase, that is to say with a delay less than 100 nanoseconds, theexternal control signal Sc received by the control module 12. The driver28 thus has the advantage of having direct driving of the powertransistor 3 on the basis of the command transmitted by the controldevice 1.

Furthermore, the current driver 28 comprises a command deactivator 282able to cancel the command for the power transistor 3 generated by thedriver 28. More specifically, the command deactivator 282 makes itpossible to deactivate the control link between the control device 1 andthe power transistor 3 when any fault or malfunction is detected. Thecommand deactivator 282 thus has the advantage of making it possible,with a delay of less than 1 microsecond, to effectively deactivate thecommand from the control device 1 on the power transistor 3 as soon as amalfunction of the control device 1 or of the power transistor 3 isannounced, and therefore of not damaging the power stage 2 and the powertransistor 3.

1. A power stage comprising a control device and a power transistorconnected to the control device in order to be driven by the controldevice, the control device comprising: a primary circuit and a secondarycircuit, the primary circuit comprising: a control module able togenerate a control current i_(t), a primary circuit malfunction detectorable to detect a malfunction of the primary circuit, a pulse transformercomprising a primary winding connected to the primary circuit, the pulsetransformer comprising a secondary winding connected to the secondarycircuit, magnetically coupled to the primary winding and able togenerate, from the control current i_(t), an induced pulse current i_(m)in the direction of the secondary circuit, the induced pulse currenti_(m) making it possible to drive the power transistor, the secondarycircuit comprising: a power and fault detection controller, connected tothe secondary winding of the pulse transformer and to the powertransistor, able to detect a malfunction of the secondary circuit and/orof the power transistor, the power and fault detection controller beingable to communicate the malfunction of the secondary circuit and/or ofthe power transistor to the primary circuit malfunction detector.
 2. Thepower stage according to claim 1, wherein the power and fault detectioncontroller communicates the malfunction of the secondary circuit and/orof the power transistor to the primary circuit malfunction detector onlyby way of the pulse transformer.
 3. The power stage according to claim1, wherein the control module comprises an oscillator able to generate apredefined pulsed wave (Pulse) on the basis of a control signal (Sc)originating from outside the power stage and a full bridge, connected tothe oscillator, able to generate the control current i_(t) on the basisof the predefined pulsed wave (Pulse) in the direction of the primarywinding of the pulse transformer.
 4. The power stage according to claim3, wherein the full bridge is configured to synchronously generate thecontrol current i_(t) on the basis of the external control signal (Sc)and/or the predefined pulsed wave (Pulse).
 5. The power stage accordingto claim 1, the secondary winding comprising two electrical terminals,the power and fault detection controller comprising an impedance Rconnected to the two electrical terminals of the secondary winding ofthe pulse transformer, the impedance R comprising an electricalresistance of less than 1000 ohms.
 6. The power stage according to claim1, wherein the primary circuit malfunction detector comprises ashort-circuit detector, the short-circuit detector being able to detectan overcurrent in the primary circuit.
 7. The power stage according toclaim 6, wherein the short-circuit detector is able to detect an openingfault in the primary circuit and/or a short-circuit fault in the primarycircuit.
 8. The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the power andfault detection controller comprises a pulse detector able to detect apulse fault in the induced pulse current i_(m).
 9. The power stageaccording to claim 8, wherein the pulse detector is configured torectify the induced pulse current i_(m).
 10. The power stage accordingto claim 1, wherein the power and fault detection controller comprises apower transistor operation detector, able to detect at least oneparameter of the power transistor causing non-nominal operation of thepower transistor.
 11. The power stage according to claim 1, wherein thepower and fault detection controller comprises a stop element able toshort-circuit the pulse transformer on the basis of a fault detection.12. The power stage according to claim 1, comprising a power transistordriver able to generate a command for the power transistor based on theinduced pulse current i_(m).
 13. The power stage according to claim 1,wherein the primary circuit malfunction detector comprises a recorderable to record the malfunction of the primary circuit and/or themalfunction of the secondary circuit and/or of the power transistor. 14.The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the current drivercomprises a command deactivator, configured to cancel the command forthe power transistor when a primary circuit malfunction and/or secondarycircuit malfunction and/or power transistor malfunction is detected.